JAPAN

Japan is facing a shocking wave of cyberattacks on online brokerage accounts. Criminals are gaining access through phishing, malware, and stolen login credentials, then using the compromised accounts to manipulate penny stocks. According to regulators and cybersecurity experts, the total damage has already exceeded 100 billion yen (around $710 million).

🔹 How the attacks work:

The scheme is simple but effective: hackers gain access to an account, buy low-cap stocks in Japan, the U.S., or China, artificially pump up the prices, then sell for profit. Many of the stocks are owned by the hackers themselves, allowing them to cash in directly from the manipulation.

🔹 Japan becomes a weak link in the global market

Eight of Japan’s largest online brokers – including Rakuten Securities and SBI Securities – have confirmed suspicious transactions. Some firms have even blocked purchases of certain low-cap stocks listed in China, the U.S., and domestically. The success of these attacks has revealed serious gaps in Japan’s cyber defenses.

🎯 Personal Stories: Losing Life Savings in a Blink
The story of Mai Mori, a 41-year-old part-time worker from Aichi, made headlines after she discovered that hackers used her Rakuten retirement account to buy over 639,000 yen worth of Chinese stocks – about 12% of her savings.

When she contacted Rakuten, she was advised to file a police report. But the response from authorities was discouraging: “In most fraud cases, victims end up quietly accepting the loss.”
Another victim from Tokyo, who chose to remain anonymous, lost 50 million yen after his account was hijacked. Even though he saw a warning pop-up on his phone and called his broker immediately, it was too late to freeze the account.

⚠️ Who’s to Blame?
Brokers blame the users. Police blame the brokers. Meanwhile, the government is urging firms to "act in good faith" when dealing with affected customers – but very few investors have been compensated so far.
On April 22, Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato called on securities companies to engage in sincere discussions with victims. Yet actual payouts remain rare.

📈 Fraud Cases Are Skyrocketing
📊 In February, only 33 suspicious trades were reported. In just the first half of April, that number jumped to 736. The Financial Services Agency hasn’t disclosed total losses, but experts warn the trend is threatening Japan’s national campaign to shift household savings from cash to investments.

🛡️ How Are Hackers Getting In?

🔹 Phishing & Man-in-the-Middle Attacks:

Victims are lured to fake login pages via phishing emails or malicious ads. These pages forward login credentials and session cookies to attackers, who then gain full account access.

🔹 Infostealers (data-theft malware):

Small hidden programs embedded in attachments or links. Once inside a device, they silently search browsers and files for saved IDs and passwords, sending them back to the attacker.

🔹 Web browsers as a vulnerability:

According to expert Yutaka Sejiyama from Macnica Security, Japan’s cultural preference for desktop browsers over mobile trading apps is a key weakness. Mobile apps usually offer biometric authentication and encrypted channels, making them more secure. “If people switched to mobile apps, many of these thefts could be prevented,” he argues.

💡 The Bigger Picture: Is Japan’s Financial Shift in Jeopardy?
The Japanese government wants its citizens to invest more and save less – but the growing number of scams and the lack of consumer protection could completely undermine public trust.

#Japan , #cybercrime , #hackers , #CyberSecurity , #HackerAlert

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Japan Warns U.S. Against Manipulating Currency Talks, Ishiba Stresses Fairness

Japan issued a firm warning to the United States on Sunday, making it clear that any manipulation during upcoming currency discussions will be exposed. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, speaking live on NHK, emphasized that Japan is committed to ensuring “fairness” in every aspect of the exchange rate negotiations. This comes as President Trump continues ramping up tariffs on key U.S. trade partners.

The warning followed Trump’s surprise appearance at the first round of U.S.-Japan trade talks, where he claimed “big progress” had been made. However, behind closed doors, Trump is reportedly pressing Tokyo to stop what he views as intentional devaluation of the yen to benefit Japanese exporters.

Ishiba clarified that currency negotiations will be handled by Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, not by the leaders themselves. Still, he didn’t shy away from the issue. Asked if Japan would support a stronger yen, Ishiba responded, “We’ll have to deal with this issue from the standpoint of fairness,” without outlining Japan’s exact approach.

Tariffs, Auto Rules, and Energy on the Agenda

Ishiba also touched on key trade friction points, including energy imports, auto regulations, and Japan’s significant holdings of U.S. debt.

The Trump administration has imposed 24% tariffs on Japanese goods entering the U.S., though those are temporarily paused until July. A 10% base tariff remains, alongside active 25% duties on automobiles—impacting a major pillar of Japan’s export economy.

While defending Japan’s vehicle safety standards, Ishiba hinted at possible reforms. “There are differences in U.S. and Japanese traffic and safety rules that must be taken into account,” he said, adding that Japan wants to ensure its regulations aren’t unfairly portrayed. This follows a Nikkei Asia report suggesting Japan might ease some auto safety requirements as part of the negotiations.

Energy and Economic Leverage

Ishiba also noted Japan might consider increasing imports of U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG)—but only if Washington can guarantee consistent delivery. “Australia is our largest LNG supplier. The U.S. ranks fourth. We could increase imports, but only if the U.S. proves it can supply energy reliably,” he said.

As for Japan’s $1 trillion in U.S. Treasury holdings—the largest globally—Ishiba reiterated Tokyo’s position that it won’t use this as a bargaining chip. “Our holdings are based on mutual trust and contribute to global and bilateral economic stability,” he stated, echoing earlier comments from Finance Minister Kato.

Kato is set to travel to Washington this week for the G20 finance ministers’ meeting, which will coincide with the IMF spring summit. All eyes are on his upcoming meeting with Treasury Secretary Bessent, where they’re expected to tackle critical issues including currency policy, tariffs, LNG, and au
tomotive regulations.
#IMF #Japan #US

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According to BlockBeats, Rapidus, a government-backed chip company in Japan, has begun testing for the production of next-generation chips. This marks a significant leap towards Japan’s efforts to create independent semiconductor manufacturing capabilities, which could reduce its reliance on foreign chip makers.
🔍 What’s Happening?
✔ Next-Gen Chips: Rapidus is focused on developing 2-nanometer (2nm) chips, a cutting-edge semiconductor technology that’s far smaller and more efficient than the current mainstream chips (which are typically around 5nm to 7nm). These ultra-small chips are expected to boost performance, reduce energy consumption, and make a big impact in industries like artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and 5G technology.
✔ AI and Technology Impact: These chips are designed to meet the growing demand for more powerful and efficient computing power, especially to support technologies like AI, machine learning, and autonomous systems. The faster, more efficient chips are crucial for industries that rely on big data and real-time processing.
✔ Testing Phase: Rapidus has just entered the testing stage to perfect the 2nm technology. Developing 2nm chips is a major challenge because of the complexity in shrinking semiconductor components further without affecting performance. The company is addressing challenges like reducing error rates and ensuring scalability before they can move to mass production. Gaining customer trust is also essential since industries will rely on these chips for high-stakes applications.
⚡ Why Does This Matter?
💡 Industry Game-Changer? The introduction of 2nm chips could accelerate AI capabilities, making it easier for companies to process large datasets and perform complex tasks. If successful, Japan could become a major player in the semiconductor industry, competing with established giants like Taiwan’s TSMC and South Korea’s Samsung.
🌏 Japan’s Semiconductor Ambitions: Japan is strategically aiming to enhance its manufacturing independence in critical sectors like semiconductors, reducing its dependency on overseas suppliers. By ramping up local production, Japan can bolster its tech infrastructure and reduce vulnerabilities in global supply chains, which have been exposed in recent years by trade tensions and pandemics.
📈 Potential Global Impact: If Rapidus can successfully scale up production of 2nm chips, this could reshape the global semiconductor market, shifting the balance of power in chip manufacturing. It could lead to new innovations in AI, computing, and tech manufacturing across the globe.
💬 What’s Your Take?
What does Rapidus’ 2nm chip technology mean for Japan’s position in the tech world? Could this spark a revolution in AI and computing capabilities? Or will the challenges of scaling production hold back its full potential? Drop your thoughts below!
#Japan
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